Jumbo Reverse Mortgages Are Increasingly Available for High-Value Homes
Seniors with pricier homes now have an increased ability to get a jumbo reverse mortgage in order to raise cash for retiremen...
Read moreA reverse mortgage can be a great tool in the right circumstances, but if you aren't careful you could end up losing your home. A recent front-page article in the New York Times lays out some of the problems homeowners are encountering with these mortgages.
You must be 62 years or older to qualify for a reverse mortgage, which allows you to use the equity in your home to take out a loan. The loan does not have to be paid back until you sell the house or die, and the loan funds can be used for anything, including providing money for retirement or to paying for nursing home expenses.
Local Elder Law Attorneys in Your City
It all sounds like a no-lose proposition, but there are downsides. For example, these loans carry large insurance and origination costs, they may affect eligibility for government benefits like Medicaid, and they are not ideal for parents whose major objective is to safeguard an inheritance for their children. There also have been complaints about aggressive marketing techniques.
In addition to these drawbacks, the Times points out two more important potential pitfalls:
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which was created in the wake of the mortgage crisis in part to scrutinize consumer mortgages, is working on new rules to better regulate reverse mortgage lenders and provide disclosures to seniors.
To read the New York Times article about reverse mortgages, click here
Seniors with pricier homes now have an increased ability to get a jumbo reverse mortgage in order to raise cash for retiremen...
Read moreReverse mortgages make it possible for house-rich but cash-poor elders to use their housing equity to pay for home care while...
Read moreA new study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) raises concerns about the adequacy of consumer protections . . ....
Read moreMedicaid Rules, etc